Automatic download of linked images must be disallowed.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-17809	DTOO291	SV-55919r1_rule		Medium

Description
When users insert images into PowerPoint presentations, they can select Link to File instead of Insert. If they do so, the image is represented by a link to a file on disk instead of being embedded in the presentation file itself. By default, when PowerPoint opens a presentation it does not display any linked images saved on a different computer unless the presentation itself is saved in a trusted location (as configured in the Trust Center). If this configuration is changed, PowerPoint will load any images that were saved in remote locations, which presents a security risk.

Description

When users insert images into PowerPoint presentations, they can select Link to File instead of Insert. If they do so, the image is represented by a link to a file on disk instead of being embedded in the presentation file itself. By default, when PowerPoint opens a presentation it does not display any linked images saved on a different computer unless the presentation itself is saved in a trusted location (as configured in the Trust Center). If this configuration is changed, PowerPoint will load any images that were saved in remote locations, which presents a security risk.

STIG	Date
Microsoft PowerPoint 2013 STIG	2018-04-04

Details

Check Text ( C-49198r1_chk )
Verify the policy value for User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Microsoft PowerPoint 2013 -> PowerPoint Options -> Security "Unblock automatic download of linked images" is set to "Disabled". Procedure: Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\15.0\PowerPoint\security Criteria: If the value DownloadImages is REG_DWORD = 0, this is not a finding.

Check Text ( C-49198r1_chk )

Verify the policy value for User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Microsoft PowerPoint 2013 -> PowerPoint Options -> Security "Unblock automatic download of linked images" is set to "Disabled".

Procedure: Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key:

HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\15.0\PowerPoint\security

Criteria: If the value DownloadImages is REG_DWORD = 0, this is not a finding.

Fix Text (F-48759r1_fix)
Set the policy value for User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Microsoft PowerPoint 2013 -> PowerPoint Options -> Security "Unblock automatic download of linked images" to "Disabled".